The annual member survey of the nation’s largest teachers union alternative finds its members support school choice, are relatively wary of Common Core, stand against higher taxes to fund education spending, and support giving teachers access to locked, concealed firearms in school after they've taken a training course.

“Teachers are just like any cross-section of the American public—there’s liberals, there’s conservatives, there’s libertarians,” said Association of American Educators spokeswoman Alexandra Freeze. “I don’t think our members are any more conservative than any other cross-section of the U.S. public.”

AAE surveys its members every year and only supports policies a significant majority endorse. The 2014 survey also found 59 percent support Milwaukee’s vouchers program, 72 percent support Arizona’s education savings accounts, and 69 percent believe national Common Core standards will either have no or an adverse effect on students.

AAE does not collectively bargain, as unions do. Instead, it offers teachers liability insurance and professional support, akin to organizations such as the American Bar Association.